THOUSANDS of homes across Hampshire could see their water bills slashed under a new programme to cut the amount of water used.

Southern Water is investing £3.3million into reducing the amount of water we use – and protecting our river in the process.

The five-year plan will see engineers visit 30,000 properties across the region – with a focus on Southampton – to monitor usage and fit water-saving products to key household appliances.

More than 200 schools and 100 small businesses will also be offered free visits to gauge their water efficiency and help reduce water rates.

The products – including water butts, tap aerators, shower heads and toilet dual-flush converters up to the value of £100 – could cut water usage by about 20 per cent, giving an £88 saving from an average annual bill of £420.

The plans are a result of Southern Water’s goal to reduce water consumption from 150 to 133 litres per person per day by 2020.

Although Hampshire’s water supply and demand was balanced in 2012, changes in habits and an increasing population mean usage – and therefore the price of your water bill – are up.

Southern Water’s head of water efficiency Ben Earl said: “We have to balance supply and demand for the whole of Hampshire. There are no reservoirs here and at the moment there is a slightly unbalanced supply and demand.

“All the time we’re trying to cut demand and plan ahead. We’re being precautionary, which is cost beneficiary. The whole of the South East is in water stress and new legislation means we have to take less water from rivers.”

“A home visit could cut water use by up to 50 litres per day. When you are paying for what you use this means tangible savings.”

The company, which supplies households across the south, will also work with schools in the area to educate children on the importance of water efficiency, and to help those households who have been fitted with a water meter to reduce their costs.

The company is working with the Environment Agency to reduce the amount of water taken from the River Itchen – Southampton’s primary water source.

l For more details, or to request a home visit, go to southernwater.co.uk/home-visit, email wateref ficiencyteam@southernwater.co.uk, or ring 0330 303 0277 to say you’d like a “water saving visit”.

WATER-SAVING TIPS

About 33 million litres of fresh water is supplied to households in Southampton each day, 10 million litres in Eastleigh and six million litres in Winchester.

South Hampshire takes one-third from groundwater and two-thirds from the Rivers Test and Itchen.

Thirty per cent of water in the home is flushed away in toilets. A dual-flush converter can cut this by up to 47 litres per day.

If you’re using a dishwater do so on a full load.

Don’t fill up the kettle for one cup.

Don’t leave the tap running when you brush your teeth.

Have a water butt installed to water the garden with.

Don’t use bottled water – Hampshire water is of “exceptional quality” according to Southern Water.